Navigation

Golden Dawn MP Kasidiaris suggests he denies Holocaust took place

Golden Dawn MP and spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris stirred controversy in Parliament on Thursday after suggesting he is a Holocaust denier.

During a debate about the parliamentary committee which is probing the political handling of the so-called Lagarde list of possible tax cheats, Kasidiaris said that Sabby Mionis, a Greek-born businessman who lives in Tel Aviv, refuses to appear before the panel protesting over the fact that it includes Holocaust deniers.

“Members of the committee are, of course, Holocaust deniers,” Kasidiaris, a member of the panel, said.

His comment triggered protests from other parliament members, particularly Vasilis Economou of the Democratic Left.

An anti-racism bill that was recently proposed by New Democracy makes Holocaust denial a crime.

Golden Dawn, which currently polls at third place with about 13 percent of the vote, this week submitted its own draft bill to fight “racism against Greeks.”

Kasidiaris has become one of the faces of Golden Dawn since the neo-Nazi party secured 7 percent and ultimately 18 parliamentary seats – in last year's general elections, in May and June.

“History has not yet given its final verdict on Hitler,” Kasidiaris said during a televised interview last year.